How Scharnhorst was Sunk: Battle of the North Cape 1943

it's December 26th 1943 boxing day and deep in the baren sea icy Blackness even darker shapes move through the night the mighty British Battleship Duke of York is sailing with a mixed force of Cruisers and destroyers to meet a deadly foe in combat her commander has carefully set a trap and now he steams his ship onward through the driving wind and heaving Seas hoping to catch a glimpse of his prey all on board are tense as the moment draws near any second now the enemy should come into view Duke of York fires a star shell High into the air to illuminate the surroundings and see through the impenetrable Blackness and there the light reveals it the German battleship [Music] shanor for hours now shanor has played a deadly game of cat and mouse hunting a convoy of vulnerable Allied Merchant ships and dodging the warships of the royal Navy but now she's been caught German battleship is forced to make a stand her guns Traverse and The Dark Knight erupt into [Music] flame in her time shanor was one of the most feared battleships on the North Atlantic together with her sister now she hunted Allied Shipping and inflicted a terrible toll putting shanor out of commission became one of the principal goals of the Royal Navy's surface Fleet after careful planning and a turn of Good Fortune the British enacted a scheme to lure shanor into the open ocean once and for all the stage was set for one of the most brutal engagements in the battle for Europe's oceans it would leave the pride of the German Fleet a flaming wreck with only 36 bedraggled surviv ladies and gentlemen I'm your friend Mike Brady from Ocean Lin of designs and this is the story of the shanor the German Navy's lucky ship this is vilhelms half in Germany today the nation's primary military Port it has centuries of proud military tradition because it is Germany's only deep water Port but while today's ships only dock here 80 years ago they were actually built [Applause] here what today stands as an Arsenal for the bundas marina Germany's modern day Navy was once a shipyard which had once constructed military vessels since the 1870s in 193 5 the kill plates had been laid for a special ship a class leader of a new generation of German battleship she was named for a Prussian General killed in the Napoleonic Wars and the vessel would go on to become one of the most feared Hunters of the North Atlantic Ocean she was called [Music] [Applause] [Music] shanor born out of Germany's ambition to rebuild its Naval prowess after World War I the Treaty of Versa had imposed stringent restrictions on the postwar German Navy Not only was its personel limited to just 15,000 across all rolls but ship's displacement were also restricted to 10,000 tons with a gun caliber cap at 11 in or 280 mm in the late 1920s Germany strategically designed the deuts land class a trio of capital ships that aimed to maximize on the stipulations of the treaty they officially listed as displacing 10,000 tons these ships in reality exceeded the treaty specifications by nearly 50% they were equipped with six powerful 11-in main guns but they emerged as a hybrid class technically heavy Cruisers but colloquially known in the English-speaking world as pocket battleships because their Battleship great Armament was mounted on a cruiser siiz frame it was the shot heard around the world the Inception of the deuts land class ignited a fierce European Naval arms race learning of the German plan the French initiated the construction of two 13in armed fast battleships as a counter and then Germany had to answer back but 1933 The Creeks Marina Germany's Navy began envisioning a superior class of fast Battleship of their own the result was a pair of well equipped hunters shanor and her sister G now originally would have been completely illegal their size a massive displacement of 32,000 tons flew well in the face of the Treaty of versailes but then in 1935 everything changed Hitler had signed an agreement with the British known as the Anglo German Naval agreement the Accord allowed Germany a naval tonnage up to 35% that of Britain's with individual battleships not surpassing now 35,000 tons the agreement legitimized the construction of shanor and gisen now but the British weren't to know that the formal ordering process had begun already a year earlier shanor was Germany's debut in the fast Battleship category and for that task she was well equipped her main Armament featured three huge turrets each fitted with a triple upgraded 11in or 280 mm guns the caliber was an interesting one as far as battleships went it was relatively small and not much bigger than those found on heavy cruisers opting for these guns ensured construction remained on schedule the 1935 treaty meant Hitler could have ordered them to be upgunned but it would have delayed the sister's introductions as larger guns were being built shanor also employed lessons taken from the earlier deuts Land class while Forward Thinking the diesel engines of deuts land class had been problematic thanks to teething troubles shanor employed the more trusted high-pressure steam turbine plant combining the benefits of weight saving and reliability the ship was launched in October 1936 and commissioned just over 2 years later her Dimensions were nothing short of impressive steaming out for her first SE trials she must have been a proud sight for the workers of vilhelms halfen shanor spanned a length of 771 ft or 235 m with a beam of 98 ft or 30 m and a full load displacement surpassing 37,000 tons this was the new generation of Warship Germany had been looking [Music] for during the Spring in early summer of 1939 shanor and ganis now underwent a rigorous period of training and working up but by June tests unveiled several issues with the ships the most serious was their tendency to take on water they had been designed with a low slim silhouette it made them difficult targets but it meant that the forward end would often be half submerged in the ocean the bows had been straight stemmed and squat they were totally reshaped with a Clipper style curve and a sharp up upwards flare and then the anchors were moved to sit on top of the deck but it still wouldn't totally fix the issue for the rest of the ship's careers in conditions even slightly choppier than a calm sea the forward turrets of both vessels frequently got drenched and they were often trained afterward pointed backwards in a futile attempt to avoid the onslaught of water despite these slight issues the ships were a huge boost to Germany's relatively small surface Fleet their introduction to Service couldn't have been better timed the modific ations were finished and the ships were ready just 2 months after the Nazi war machine commenced its assault on Poland Britain France and their allies stood against them the costliest conflict in modern history had begun and shanor would go immediately to war but the steel Leviathan would need an equally Steely Commander if she would ever do any damage to the enemy but fortunately the German Navy had just the right man Shan's first Commander had been beloved by the crew Auto celiacs deeply respected his ship and her crew and they respected him back but the demands of the war effort needed him elsewhere and he' been promoted to rear Admiral it left a vacancy for the right man to step in and assume command of the ship on Omid in Wartime sorty and in late September 1939 A confident figure strowed onto the ship's decks for the first time he was a veteran of the sea an old hand who had started out way back in 1912 as a midshipman and climbed the ranks through the years of hard service he had big shoes to fill but if anyone could do it it was him his name was Kurt Caesar Hoffman transitioning from the leadership of a revered figure like Celiac might have been challenging for many but Hoffman Rose to the occasion while there were initial reservations among the crew about how Hoffman would compare to celiacs his strong leadership skills dedication to duty and genuine concern for his crew quickly won them over Hoffman not only managed to uphold the standards set by celiacs but also carved out his own esteemed place within the ranks of the shanor crew he would oversee 56 officers and over 1,600 ratings Engineers Gunners Cooks Sailors they all combined to turn shanor from an impressive engineering achievement into a living breathing thing a floating town and a terrifying weapon Allin one they set out for the first time in November 1939 with orders to slip through the British blockade and into the North Atlantic where they could hunt with virtual impunity [Music] shanor and giser now slipped out of wilhelms halfen on November 21st 1939 with a simple goal their Fleet mate Admiral graph was being hunted in the South Atlantic the pair of newer German ships would slip through the British blockade and out into the North Atlantic Ocean news of their escape would draw British units out and ease the pressure on Graf Bay the pair maid Steam and Hoffman knew it was a dangerous exercise one wrong move could put them on a course to meet the formidable Royal Navy's home Fleet head on for all their strength shanor and ganis now would be hopelessly outgunned by the larger warships of the royal Navy their strength lay in their speed and the danger they posed to Allied Merchant shipping it would force the Royal Navy to take them seriously as a threat but make them incredibly difficult to catch as they sailed for the first time for the open ocean Hoffman and his crew couldn't have known that they would blood their guns much sooner than they expected that first day steaming between Iceland and the Pharaoh Islands they chanced upon a British vessel it was the armed Merchant Cruiser Royal pindy the glorified passenger liner fitted with 6in deck guns from the first World War she didn't stand a chance on Shan's Bridge Hoffman hoped to capture the ship and give her crew a chance at life the Germans flashed a series of warnings ordering Royal pindy to stop and be abandoned but to their surprise the British vessel turned and faced them the captain Edward Kennedy had decided to stand and fight despite Royal Pen's Valiant resistance she stood little chance against the German powerhouses within 40 minutes the duo had obliterated Royal pindy who to credit had managed to actually score a single hit on shanor which did little to no damage Shan host's guns had been blooded but it had been an glorious Victory Hoffman ordered his ship stop to retrieve survivors but the approach for a British warship raised an alarm it was the approach of the British home Fleet alerted to Royal P's calls for help a leading force of Cruisers had arrived on station to tail the German ships until the main Force could catch up hunt them down and destroy them Hoffman sensed the danger but Fortune was on his side a rain Squall blew in and covered shanor and now as they made Full Steam for cover the British forces just couldn't hope to catch them and the Germans had escaped but the inclement weather proved just as damaging to the Germans as it had to the British in the North Sea the sister ships encountered Seas so heavy they both took on damage and had to steam home for [Music] repairs during the chilly winter of 1939 to 1940 Shan hor remained mostly dormant undergoing maintenance and overhaul but by April the next year she alongside most of the Craigs Marina's surface fleet was mobilized to support the occupation of Norway and Denmark in operation vuong under the command of Admiral G luchin shanor and Ganer now were designated to provide distant cover for The Landings they were accompanied by The Heavy Cruiser Admiral hipper and 13 destroyers nine of which were transporting troops for navik in the North Sea the British royal Navy quickly detected this formidable German Force prompting the home Fleet to intercept on April 9th after a skirmish with Admiral hipper the British battle cruiser HMS Renown engaged shanor and gisen now for 90 minutes the ships exchanged fire and challenging weather resulting in minor damage on both sides with shanor experiencing turbine problems though the Germans disengaged turning to vilhelms halfen that evening in June 1940 shanor and GN now were hunting together again steaming off the coast of Norway when they suddenly encountered an unexpected force the British aircraft carrier HMS glorious was steaming with two Destroyer escorts ardant and a Caster this would prove a devastating engagement for the British and serve as a good demonstration of what these two ferocious German warships were actually capable of ardant rushed to cover glorious with a smoke screen fire Torpedoes and poor supporting gunfire onto the German ships she even managed to hit shanor with a shell but it simply bounced off the ship's thick armor the Germans 11-in guns fired back and the effect was devastating ardant was shattered by gunfire that left her dead in the water before she sank with only two survivors shanor then trained her guns on glorious and got to work just an hour and a half later the carrier was Blazing from stem to stern listing in the water and she finally sank a Caster had tried to maintain a smoke screen with some decent effect but now she was the only British ship left with nowhere to run the combined Firepower of shanor Ander now reduced her to scrap metal and she sank soon after but not without biting back a Caster had fired a volley of torpedoes which nearly all missed but one it slammed home into shanor and exploded badly damaging her from the engagement only 40 British Sailors survived and it proved a devastating embarrassment for the Royal Navy years later it would come to light that the code Breakers at Bletchley Park had intercepted German messages and learned that shanor and gyen now had broken out for the open ocean but their warnings weren't taken seriously because they were mostly civilians and glorious was never notified for Hoffman and his men it was a resounding Victory but their ship had been nearly crippled by the torpedo they limp for home and Hero's welcome despite the torpedo hit shanor had inflicted a terrible toll on the British and it began to earn a reputation as the Cs Mariner lucky ship the next summer the two sister ships repaired and refreshed were ready to break out into the open ocean once again as part of operation Berlin once more under Admiral Lan's command the two ships could now at last focus on hunting down Allied Merchant ships and show what they were truly capable of from January 22nd to March 22nd 1941 the sister ships wed havoc in the Atlantic sinking or capturing 22 Merchant vessels totaling over 115,000 tons their presence heavily disrupted the vital Allied convoy system despite their strength they consistently avoided engagements with British battleships with luchin opting for caution and disengaging on three distinct occasions by late March both vessels reached the safety of breast in occupied France docking on the 23rd under cover provided by the German air force but being stationed in breast posed significant challenges over the subsequent months the British launched a lot of attacks attempting to neutralize the German battleships docked there in June 1941 shanor and G now were joined by The Heavy Cruiser Prince oen which ad doed after her ill- faded Mission accompanying the German battleship bismar to ensure the ship's safety and get them within range of Defending against a possible British attack on Norway it was decided to relocate them all to Germany but this would be no easy task they would need to sail right under the noses of the British through the English Channel in February 1942 during what the Germans termed operation Cerberus but what has since been called the Channel Dash all three vessels daringly navigated through the English Channel despite sustaining some minor damages they successfully reached Germany and for the Germans it was a Triumph for the British it was another Monumental embarrassment this audacious move led to public outrage in Britain especially given that these ships had been operating so close to British Shores prime minister Winston Churchill ordered an inquiry but in some ways for the British it was a blessing in disguise because once back in German Waters shanor and ganis now's threat to the Atlantic convoys had diminished significantly soon after docking in Keel that same month gyen now suffered heavy damage from British bombers and though there were plans to repair her she was relocated to occupied Poland in April never to sail again shanor was on her [Music] own by 1942 the crew of the shanor had formed a strong bond they viewed their ship as lucky a kind of Talisman adopting the personal Mantra shanor IM aaran shanor ever onwards during this period Captain Hoffman's reputation soared amongst the crew but also made him a target for promotion in the spring it finally happened he became a rear Admiral and had to leave his beloved ship for Shan hor men it was a blow but they could only hope his replacement would be as good a fit but sadly for them it wasn't to be Capon Z say fredri hoffmire became the warship Skipper but in contrast to Hoffman he was viewed very critically by the crew his tenure was marred by several mishaps once he ran shanor to ground at a blistering 26 knots later entangled a boy wire around a ship's shaft and even collided with the submarine U 523 during a training exercise in August 1942 each incident had resulted in extensive Repairs by the end of the year with British and American Air power growing in its strength and danger shanor received orders to make for Norway and the cover of the fjords [Music] after multiple attempts to break out shanor finally docked on March 14th 1943 alongside the newcomers Norway already sheltered the formidable Battleship tarpits bmar sistership as well as a selection of Cruisers and destroyers all mored in the face of Allied air assaults and fuel shortages docked in cure F shanor was M close to tail pits but the camaraderie between the two Crews was nonexistent shanor seasoned crew perceiv the inexperienced Sailors of the turits as novices the latter despite being the flagship was deemed the unproven vessel on top of that t Pit's Captain Hans KL Meyer was known for his strict discipline it earned him little respect from both Crews many viewed him as a subpass sailor and overly authoritarian in despite tensions with the flagship morala board shanor stayed relatively good but as summer progressed a sense of isolation began to rise the Region's tepid days and melting ice gave way to muddy terrain and the persistent sunlight fosted swarms of biting insects news both from home and the front lines became scared the crew's weariness grew made only worse by the absence of nearby entertainment the closest town was a track of over 3 miles or about about 5 km away inevitably borom began to take hold to counter the tum the crew found diversions illegal gambling was widespread and many sailors honed their skiing skills The Limited movie collection on the ship's projectors got some work out and the library filled with Adventure Tales was always a popular destination then finally in September 1943 a brief operation provided some relief shanor tets and a group of Destroyers would attack Allied Shaw facilities on spit beran Island they shelled it but they quickly realized the station only housed a modest group of British and Norwegian meteorologists and a tiny military Detachment the operation had been designed as a swift propaganda Victory the combined weight of the ship's artillery had absolutely devastated the island and medals were quickly handed out but shor's crew were outraged to find out that turits of crew received nearly 400 iron crosses in contrast to their 160 in September 1943 taitz was attacked by British submarines which heavily damaged the huge Battleship shanor had still been mored nearby but British efforts to attack her had failed and she remained unscathed with the Heavy Cruiser luto having returned home to Germany this left shanor as the last remaining operational heavy German unit stationed in Norway Shan's crew didn't know it yet but events would soon transpire that would see their monotonous routine interrup for good in November 1943 the Arctic convoys recommenced the British had decided to operate one Convoy a month to the Soviet Union from November 1943 until February the next year and each Convoy would consist of approximately 35 ships as the German forces faced setbacks on multiple fronts the pressure intensified for The Creeks Marina to provide assistance however fuel shortages the absence of Air Force support and the persistent Arctic Darkness hindered Germany effort significantly with turits damaged in September and sidelined the owners of disturbing the Arctic convoys felt solely upon shanor and a handful of Destroyers it was a huge task but which ship could be more Adept than the Creeks Mariner's own lucky ship aboard Spirits were high she'd received a new captain Fritz Hiner had been fascinated by the Sea since he was a child in 1920 he had rushed to join the reformed German Navy and Rose quickly through the ranks assuming command of shanor was for him the culmination of a childhood dream hin had odd Tendencies including staying in bed until well past 10:00 in the morning every day and also requiring a nap between 1: and 3:00 p.m. the crew was forbidden from even walking near his cabin while the captain had his afternoon nap however as odd as he was to the crew of shanor and while never reaching the status of their favorite Captain Hoffman hin went a long way to restore Morale on board after the poor poor leadership of HFM for the upcoming operation though a vice admiral was needed to take command of the entire task force of Battleship and destroyers the Natural Choice would be Oscar kumetz from turits but he had returned to Germany on sick leave after his Flagship was put out of action con Admiral Eric Bay stepped in to take the Reigns born in Hamburg Bay entered the German Navy in 1916 and served aboard various torpedo boats and destroyers over the years his Naval career saw him attain the rank of frotan Capen the middle officers rank among senior officers of the German Navy by the onset of World War II ba had quickly made a name for himself when April 1940 had arrived marking the German invasion of Norway he was entrusted with leading the fourth Destroyer flotilla and on both the 10th and 13th of that month he fearlessly led that flotilla against the mighty Royal Navy including the Fearsome Battleship HMS War spite despite their Valor the Germans suffered significant ific casualties including the loss of Ba's commanding officer recognizing Ba's exceptional Valor and Leadership he was honored with the Knights Cross of the Iron Cross in May 1940 the subsequent day heralded his promotion to full Captain replacing his Fallen former Commander at the Helm of the German Destroyer Force by February 1942 ba once again demonstrated his strategic Talent leading the Destroyer screen that was part of operation Cerberus the channel Dash Bay was promoted to cont Admiral or rear Admiral on the 1st of March 1943 he was a capable leader but now replacing rear Admiral osar kets to oversee shanor and the Destroyer force in intercepting the Arctic convoys he faced a daunting Challenge B was undeniably a skilled Admiral but the situation was far from ideal for his expertise nevertheless the German Force began to prepare for their mission this would be a different world to the good old days back in 1939 through 194 40 now the Germans were the underdog in the battle for the Atlantic and the Arctic Shan's men were Keen to prove that the German Navy was not yet defeated but most of them lose their lives trying to do it in their preparations for the intricate dance of protecting the Arctic convoys the British now held a considerable Edge over 6 months of planning coupled with invaluable insights from Ultra the covert British codebreaking operations at Bletchley Park which by now were taken extremely seriously by the admiralty ensure that the British were constantly one step ahead the intelligence allowed them to preempt the movements of shanor and when considering the Superior radar technology of the British Fleet shanor faced an extremely daunting task for whenever she would venture from her F refuge in Norway the German force would be under the Keen leadership of Eric Bay he'd lead his small but dangerous group in hunting Allied Merchant ships fending him off was a task assigned to a veteran British British commander Admiral Bruce Frasier his Naval Journey had begun Way Back In 1902 at Dartmouth his Ascent through the ranks had been rapid with a specialization in Naval Gunnery he served during World War I and even had a notable role during The Darden ell's operation although training commitments caused him to miss the Battle of Jutland his expertise in Naval Gunnery had made Waves by 1938 Frasier had achieved flag Rank and demonstrated his strategic capabilities as the commanderin-chief of the home Fleet during World War II he distinguished himself as a strategic thinker particularly favoring radar directed Gunnery a tactic especially effective during the pitch darkness of the Polar nights and amidst the blinding Arctic snow squalls while Admiral Bay was a respected leader in his own right Frasier had the advantage of a competent staff and was better positioned with the experience to handle larger warships and battle groups his Flagship was a monster h M Duke of York a King George vth class Battleship commissioned in November 1941 she was equipped with 104in 356 mm guns and boasted a full load displacement of over 42,000 tons Duke of York was well suited to challenge shanor not just because she was bigger and newer crucially she was capable of firing her guns using radar Guidance the British home fleet's Advanced radar systems brought Bruce and his men a significant Edge her gun batteries were also enhanced with dedicated Fire Control Radars enabling accurate fire even beyond the visible Horizon impressively her type 273 radar could detect targets nearly 25 nautical miles away Duke of York could see the Germans coming and hit them accurately and reliably in full Darkness but that wasn't all the other British vessels such as Cruisers and the majority of their destroyers were equipped with radar technology Superior to that of the shanor as well the the Germans would be up against a dangerous foe but battleships and cruisers of the British Fleet didn't directly escort the convoys this role was designated to smaller vessels like destroyers and Corvettes however in the event of any German surface unit threatening the Arctic convoys the most formidable British ships from their Northern bases could swiftly intercept they stood ready to offer distant protection to the Convoy as circumstances demanded ready and waiting soon they'd get their chance given the reactivation of the Arctic convoys Grand Admiral KL duritz sought Hitler's permission to deploy shanor against the next Convoy navigating the baren sea because a few convoys had already crossed Northern Norway without interference the Germans felt compelled to take action the tides of War were turning badly against Nazi Germany the nation had already felt defeat first in the Skies over Britain then in North Africa and even more Dangerously in Russia now in 194 3 Allied bombers were smashing the German Homeland day and night the German people needed victories and attacking vulnerable convoys had always been an easy propaganda Win In deliberations with Admiral Otto schne the leader of group North responsible for Creeks Mariner operations in Norway it became clear that in action would invite Hitler's ey despite Shen's reservations about the situation he and donuts agreed that a response was necessary on December 22nd 1943 a German aircraft on a routine weather observation flight chanced upon a massive outbound Convoy heading to the Soviet Union approximately 350 Mi or 563 km west of narvik armed with this information Bay assembled a force that included shanor five destroyers and a wolf pack of six uots led by Captain Rudolph Peters stationed in narvik the uots would attempt to form a line along the predicted route of the Convoy and intercept the British would be sailing into a trap with deadly Hunters stalking them both above and below the surface the German Target was Convoy JW 55b traveling from Lo u in Scotland to Cola Inlet in the Soviet Union the Convoy was escorted by various Allied warships while they were adequately equipped to handle the familiar old ubot threats it was totally vulnerable to an assault by a warship like shanor JW 55b was actually the second half of a much larger Convoy which moved further ahead the first half of the Convoy JW 55A had sailed earlier and was arriving in the Soviet Union as 55b was to pass the danger area posed by the German warships Donuts gave the go-ahead it would be called operation OST front operation Eastern front and he sent this cable to Bay a critical enemy Convoy delivering supplies to the Russians poses a further threat to our Valiant forces on the Eastern Front it's imperative we intervene Engage The Convoy with shanor and accompanying destroyers utilize tactical prowess and exhibit audacity do not abandon the battle prematurely commit fully to the mission shanor Superior Firepower is your Paramount Advantage and her role is crucial position the Destroyers as deemed necessary withdraw if the situation warrants it and Retreat immediately upon encountering Superior enemy forces brief your crew on this strategy my confidence in your capabilities is unwavering hail and victory Donuts Grand Admiral but the grand pretentions did not come as welcome news to rear Admiral Bay he along with his predecessor vice admiral kumetz believed that success hinged on waiting for the repair of the turits if they ever intended to deploy shanor the track record of solo battleships was more than discouraging bismar had been sunk in 1941 after a similar attempted operation B proposed using only Destroyers for greater flexibility arguing that the inclusion of shanor would demand several destroyers as a protective screen reducing those available for direct Convoy engagement but Admiral sneen saw things differently and maintain that shanor had to take part in the operation Ba's apprehensions didn't come from nowhere for one thing the radar capabilities of shanor were notably inferior to those of the British constraining its Effectiveness to the brief Twilight hours which were merely a few around noon during the Arctic Winter by December 1943 shanor was equipped with the fuo 26 radar which had a range of 12 to 15 nautical miles that's around 20 to 25 km but unfortunately this radar wasn't suitable for blind firing of a main guns and often proved unreliable especially in challenging weather conditions which were typical of the Arctic Winter crucially though to even stand a chance at success say ba needed timely intelligence regarding the location and the British fleet's positioning however this was unlikely thanks to communication disconnects between him the ubot command and the Lu vafer based in Norway ba had no choice he had his orders and his ship would set to sea but even as preparations were being made Keen eyes as sure noticed the activity and logged it upon receiving intelligence from the Norwegian resistance about Shan horse's potential sorty Admiral Frasier began to formulate a plan with a numerically and technologically Superior Fleet he was suddenly presented with a unique opportunity shanor would be drawn to the Convoy like a moth to a flame and if frasia played his cards just right he could destroy her his timing was crucial and with precise information from Ultra code breaking about shanor departure from Norway Frasier intended to perfectly position his forces the British Naval strength was divided into three distinct units Force One the cruiser Force headed by vice admiral Robert Bernett comprised the light Cruisers HMS Belfast and Sheffield and The Heavy Cruiser HMS norfol Force 2 was under Bruce Frasier's direct leadership it was led by his massive Flagship Duke of York supported by the Heavy Cruiser HMS Jamaica and the Destroyers HMS sarez Savage Scorpion and the Norwegian shored then there was the 36th Destroyer division accompanying Convoy JW 55A commanded by Commander Ralph Fischer including an ocean escort of seven destroyers led by HMS enlo Convoy JW 55b would be the bait forces 1 and two would need complete surprise to lure the shanor in close to the Convoy before springing a deadly trap employing their Advanced radar systems and Ultra intelligence these impressive forces would work together to snare the German warship and Destroy her once and for all but British victory was not guaranteed a single miscalculation could delay the heavy British units and spell disaster for the Convoy shanor and her supporting destroyers would be able to hunt freely and sink dozens of ships bringing not only material and human losses but also handing a resounding propaganda Triumph to the Germans or if forces one and two were spotted before the Trap could be sprung shanor might slink away back to Norway and Escape Frasier was relying on his technological advantages and Central to it all was the accurate intelligence on whether shanor had indeed taken the bait and when she would sail the mission was a foot and the trap would be set now frasia had to wait and see if the Germans would bite the British were on a tight schedule primarily due to fuel concerns for the escorting destroyers a window of just 30 hours Fraser was tasked with ensuring his sailing coincided perfectly with the Convoy's most vulnerable Point departing at 10: p.m. on December 23rd Fraser's for Force 2 traveled at 15 knots they aimed for a position where they could react at the first possible siding of the German ships meanwhile Admiral Burnett's Force One had departed earlier they had started out by escorting the Convoy JW 55A but their plan was to loot back for Convoy 55b and then Rondevu with Fraser's forces the Strategic placement of these British ships with varied fuel needs and originating from different ports was intricate but well executed the concent ation would Peak as the Convoy approached the baren sea near the ubo bases luffer airfields and the Shan H herself meanwhile the Germans were already off to a bad start in the baren sea deteriorating weather conditions battered the uots of operation OST front preventing them from intercepting the Convoy they could see it but frustratingly an attack wasn't possible a single fired torpedo had missed but while the uots relayed the Convoy's location the Germans lacked a clear picture of JW 55 B's route all the Wolfpack could do now was turn and follow the Convoy nevertheless the information from the uots proved valuable on shanor ba was relying purely on exactly this kind of intelligence to plot his next move as the ubot followed them he got a clearer picture of where they were going and began to formulate a battle plan Bard Duke of York Admiral Frasier intended to position Force 2 advantageously close by but jw5 5B still remained vulnerable particularly as bait for shanor their entire plan was nearly revealed when the Germans picked up a British radio signal they thought it had come from a straggling Convoy merchant ship but it had actually originated from the massive Battleship Duke of York had the German air force decided to investigate they might have discovered Force 2's presence and Frasier's trap would be ruined but they didn't a straggler in a convoy was nothing to worry about and the message went unheeded on Christmas day while docked in Alford shanor began to prepare for her departure any remnants of the festive season including Christmas decorations were discarded overboard later to be discovered by local Norwegians when they washed ashore for both Admiral Bay and Admiral Frasier timing was always of the essence however unforeseen delays set Admiral Bay back and by 7:00 p.m. that day shanor finally set sail for operation OS front already 2 hours behind schedule she was accompanied by five destroyers led by cap Ralph Johansson aboard the z29 to regain the timetable Admiral Bay directed Captain Hiner to push his ship speed to 17 knots but as they ventured into the baron sea shortly before 11:00 p.m. on Christmas Day shanor speed surged to 25 knots in the teeth for Raging Gale taking a course nearly due north for the Convoy the Gale tailing the German force made navigation challenging especially for the top heavy Destroyer ERS approaching beay island with Convoy JW 55b roughly 250 nautical miles ahead Bay anticipated contact by 9:30 a.m. the next morning that night all the forces Bay and the Germans and the British forces frasers Force 1 and two were zeroing in on Convoy JW 55b under appalling weather conditions the weather did not relent the conditions were so severe that Captain Peters head of the Norwegian newo Force vo his concerns to Admiral schne at group North headquarters about the destroyer's abilities in such heavy Seas Peters believed osr should be aborted and schind agreed he sought cancellation approval from Grand Admiral Donuts and at the same time Bay reached out to group North 2 highlighting the challenges that his destroyers were facing in aiming their weapons in the turbulent weather the response was not heartening Donuts decided that the mission would have to proceed a hesitant Bay was updated to stay the course equipped with the latest Convoy position shanor and the Destroyer Force battled through the Seas to make their intercept but while the uots pursued the Convoy and maintained their contact and the massive German battleship surged onward Bay remained completely unaware that he and his men were steaming into a British Ambush early on the 26th the dark early morning brought no real easing of the Heavy Seas Bay checked with his Destroyer Commander Captain Johansson aboard z29 about the destroyer's condition in the current weather Johansson assured him that if the wind remained favorable they could press on it was not easy going the small warship struggled Dex a wash through the heaving waves then the Germans finally got some good news Johanson received a transmission from the submarine U 716 revealing that early information had been wrong and the Convoy was actually 30 nautical miles west of their previous estimate this positioning actually set shanor up perfectly for an intercept the delay in departing from Norway had initially seemed disadvantageous but now it had worked in the Germans favor capitalizing on this baay intended to deploy his destroyers as Scouts near the Convoy's anticipated location it would allow them to engage and tie down the Convoy Escorts until Shan horse could arrive on scene move in and destroy the Convoy it was a simple enough plan and at last it seemed like operation ostfront might be a success but the British were one step ahead around this time Admiral Frasier on Duke of York was informed via Ultra code breaking about the Germans movements and their reactions to the bait Convoy JW 55b traveling at approximately just 6 knots due to the weather was around 50 nautical miles south of beay Island moving Northeast vice admiral Burnett's Force 1 was roughly 150 nautical miles east of JW 55b but was rapidly closing the gap Frasier's Force 2 lagged by over 200 nautical miles but was also swiftly catching up now this positioning suggested that Bernett would Rondevu with JW 55b before both Frasier and shanor likely around 9:00 a.m. now this timing was ideal for the British Bernett could strategically position the cruiser Force One between the Convoy and shanor potentially obstructing Ba's path and buying enough time for Force 2 and the Duke of York to close in for the kill aboard Shan horse's Bridge as the ship rocked and rolled underfoot ba decided it was time to begin his intercept he veered the German Force slightly East to outpace its expected route his chief concern was the storm enabling JW 55b to elude him by 5:00 a.m. Bay resumed a northward trajectory anticipating an encounter with the Convoy in the coming hours around this time Captain Hiner sent his men to action stations ba enacted his plan he deployed his destroyers to scout out about 10 nautical miles ahead to keep an eye out for The Telltale smoke from the Convoy now positioned the fleet reduced speed to just 12 knots to better handle the weather but then ba made a baffling decision he redirected his entire battle group Southwest moving directly away from the Convoy's predicted location if he had persisted on the original course his destroyers would have soon detected the Convoy with JW 55b only 30 nautical miles west of both shanor and the Destroyers the German Destroyer screen continued searching ahead likely thinking they'd bypass the Convoy their distance made visual signaling between the Destroyers and shanor impossible at around 8:30 in the morning possibly rethinking his choice ba ordered Shan H to turn northward but due to the distance Johansson's destroyers remained unaware and they kept their Southwest in Direction it was a strange Mission but it would not be the last time that ba would seemed to forget about his destroyers given this unexpected course change if B had relayed his decision in the Destroyers reposition north of the advancing shanor the Germans could have found themselves strategically placed between the Convoy and Force One surprising the British and nearly ensuring an encounter with the Convoy but it wasn't to be the blunder kept the Germans away from a successful intercept Burnett's Cruiser force force one was now situated 20 nordal miles east while JW 55b was about 20 nautical miles Northwest after 8:00 a.m. on December 26th Bernett steered Force 1 Northwest in the direction of the Convoy at the same time shanor kept moving North and the German destroyers under turd still sailed Southwest then at 8:34 a.m. HMS Norfolk detected a large northward moving Target approximately 16 nautical miles away soon after that the other Cruisers identified the significant contact to but Net's anxiety stemed from the realization that if this target was shanor which seemed highly probable it now lay between him and JW 55b and could potentially confront the Convoy within the hour his concerns were not unfounded the contact was Shan H but then the Germans made another perplexing move upon detecting the German ships h Miss Belfast reported that the contact had veered Southeast by 8:50 a.m. shanor had shifted Direction she was now trailing her destroyers ba was probably searching for the Convoy surely they should be in sight by now the Destroyers had got far away and he couldn't communicate with them where was everyone well unbeknownst to Bay he was inadvertently distancing himself from the Convoy and force one was now stealthily tailing him the Germans had taken the bait and fallen into the first part of the Trap all the while missing the Convoy Force One maintained its Pursuit strategically positioning itself to intercept at 9:21 a.m. the imposing silhouette of Shan H emerged from The Darkness at a mere distance of 13,000 y or 11.8 km away from Force One Belfast promptly launched a star shell High into the air which like a flare illuminated the German battleship the British were ready for the fight and the germ were not Shan horse's crew caught completely off guard hadn't employed their radar for fear of revealing her location if it was active they might have detected the approaching British forces British onlookers observe that while Shan horse's turrets remain trained uselessly for and after their own weapons were primed and ready they had the element of surprise and shanor had been caught alone acting swiftly Bay commanded a Southeast in turn while the British continued Northwest but just minutes later HMS Norfolk with an unobstructed view due to Bay maneuver fired her 8in guns from about 10,000 yards away they were the first shots of the battle but even then Nori's first Salvo managed to strike shanor killing one and injuring several others but the hits had dealt a devastating blow to shanor already her forward radar already inferior to that of the British but crucial in engaging warships in this kind of harsh weather was knocked out shanor turned South to slip away making Full Steam and although the British Cruisers fired on shanor did not fire back the British halted their offensive by 9:38 a.m. as shanor sailed away at full speed and Burnett's force one followed her from afar with shanor now heading Southeast at a swift 24 knots and Force One strategically positioned between her and the Convoy the British now held the upper hand Bernett hoped he could tail the German warship until Force 2 could arrive but shanor speed far surpass the British Cruisers which struggled to maintain 16 knots through the punishing Waves by 10: a.m. shanor had vanished from the British Cruisers radar Bernett now had a choice to make to keep up the chase or head back to protect the Convoy he was concerned that shanor would make a second try and now with his Cruisers outpaced he had no hope of catching the German battleship protecting JW 55 5B was Bernard's top priority he ordered the cruiser Force to head back and protect [Music] it on shanor bridge ba grappled with what had just happened he had anticipated only a meager British Destroyer Escort the presence of larger vessels caught him completely off guard although he strongly suspected he faced Cruisers the enveloping darkness left room for doubt about the exact size of his adversary ba then contacted Johansson and the destroy a force by radio and realized that there was a significant distance separating them from each other they were now heading in opposite directions puzzlingly ba delayed recalling them allowing the gap between them to expand to over 40 nautical miles before finally ordering them to return now the distance made the German Destroyer support highly improbable then baay received a report from U 277 claiming that the Convoy was spotted moving East around 9:30 a.m. now this report was incorrect in reality the ubot had observed Commander Fisher destroyers on route to join Force One while the Convoy shifted northward ba decided he'd have another crack at the Convoy he deduced that the Cruisers that he had just encountered were shielding the Convoy and thought that the merchant ships now lay Northwest of his position he remained optimistic about bypassing the Cruisers on his next attempt to converge with the Convoy and set a course for a second attempt at an intercept by 10:30 a.m. Frasier and Force 2 were still at a considerable distance away patiently awaiting more intelligence while Shan horse's exact location was unknown Frasier had fortified Force One with four destroyers from the Convoy and then redirected JW 55b northward Fisher destroyers having joined Force One shortly before 10:30 a.m. were positioned in the Vanguard to screen the Cruisers Bernett detected the Convoy moving northward on his radar strategic placing him to intercept shanor potential approach if she tried again Fraser's tactics ensured that his forces would be between the shanor and the Convoy Come What May and that the heavy Force to would be able to knock the shanor out but then his cover was suddenly blown at around 1:40 p.m. on the 26th a trio of German flying boats spotted Frasier's Fleet and relayed this information to Captain Peters in narck intended for Admiral schne Group North in K the Germans figured that this British fleet was a distant screen for the Convoy possibly containing a battleship Frasier had hoped that the presence of Force 2 would remain a secret it was intended to be The Knockout blow that would kill shanor but now the Germans had seen them it should have been the end news of a heavier British presence might have persuaded ba to disengage but then the Germans made another mistake this crucial intelligence wasn't communicated to Bay for hours to come allowing Force 2 to inch even closer under detected by noon B sensed that the Convoy was near and altered his course from North to Southwest he also directed Johansson and the Destroyer Force to a specified rendevu point to reach by 12:20 p.m. this meeting spot would situate the Destroyers approximately 20 nautical miles Southwest of shanor offering a chance for a unified assault on the Convoy this time Bay was adamant the Convoy would not get away and the Germans would be able to inflict some serious damage just afternoon HMS Belfast again detected a radar contact to the Northeast approximately 13 nautical miles away this blip was swiftly identified by both Sheffield and Norfolk and the four destroyers It could only be shanor moving in for a second try as the distance between the ships narrowed over the subsequent quarter hour Bernett strategically positioned his Fleet to ensure unobstructed firing lines and then at 12:21 p.m. he commanded a star shell be launched and for the second time that day shanor was fully illuminated and caught completely unprepared with less than six nautical miles separating them Bernett directed his ships to commence [Music] firing the oceans roared around them and Shan horse's crew desperately rushed to swing their main gun turrets around to meet the threat but it was again the British who had the essence of surprise despite the tumultuous seize the British assault was remarkably accurate both norick and Sheffield registered hits and only 10 Mi away Sailors aboard ships in Convoy JW 55b could see the muzzle flashes lighting up the dark sky shanor however wasn't destined to sit Wily by and be fired at without response as the gap between the adversaries shortened to about two nautical miles she finally retaliated with a barrage of 11in shells inflicting significant Splinter damage on Sheffield although norick was the intended target shanor recalibrated her aim by 12:37 p.m. delivered deadly blows to norick knocking out one of her turrets and causing casualties another shell penetrated deeper igniting fires within the ship the the Germans had drawn blood shanor successfully found the range but at such a close distance it was hardly a challenge ba had instructed Captain Hiner to accelerate to 28 knots allowing shanor to distance herself from Burnett's Fleet and disengage once again by 12:40 p.m. the Gap had widened to almost 7 miles but amidst the challenging weather and choppy Seas accurate firing became increasingly difficult for both sides Fisher destroyers initially intended to launch a torpedo assault but they had to abandon their plans because the Shan horse was Now quickly outpacing them Bernett signaled a ceasefire at 12:41 p.m. concluding an intense albeit brief 20 minute Skirmish after this second Clash Bay reassessed his situation he had been ambushed twice and on both occasions he had to retreat swiftly while he had inflicted damage on both Sheffield and Norfolk shanor hadn't emerged unscathed recognizing his compromis position and noting his crew's exhaustion ba doubted the feasibility of another attempt on the Convoy he wanted to turn his ship for home so he radioed back to narvik exaggerating his encounter with quote several heavy units with radar guided fire although he was aware that he only faced Cruisers he hoped that this would justify his return by 1: p.m. Bay directed shanor Southeast towards the familiar fjords of Norway in his view operation ostfront was over spoiled by Superior British radar and poor weather he steamed away Bound for the North Cape of Norway the last time this had happened shanor had got away and Bernett had decided to return to the Convoy but this time things were different Bernett was confident the Germans had abandoned their attack on the Convoy now he opted to pursue miraculously now his ships could actually match shanor 28 knot pace and keep her within their radar range fer initially doubted his destroyer's ability to keep up but he was pleasantly surprised when they could with the wind at their backs it wasn't easy but it was possible to keep up with the German warship Ba's decision not to turn Southwest into the Gale proved crucial if he had done so Bernett would have had to reduce his speed allowing shanor to escape but instead he turned directly for Norway not realizing that he was actually being followed by Force One by 1:30 p.m. Lu far for in Ence finally informed ba of force 2's presence and it was not welcome news in continuous communication with bernet frasia knew Shan horse's precise location and he steered East to intercept her route to ord conversely ba had only a vague notion of where this apparent formidable Fleet might be remarkably B seemed to have again forgotten his destroyers having reached the Rondevu Point around 12:20 p.m. Johansson's Destroyer Force positioned in a a search line neared the Convoy around 1:00 p.m. but they didn't detect it only eight nautical miles separated them making it a harrowingly close encounter by 1:40 p.m. they were significantly distant from shanor finally remembering his destroyers Bay directed them towards Norway by 2:30 p.m. hoping that they would all reach safety the following day as the Destroyers set course for home Shan horse's Captain Hiner informed his crew that their mission was aborted and there'd be returning to Norway but unbeknownst to all they were being tailed and Admiral Frasier's trap was about to Spring shut around 2:30 p.m. shanor feared South and Frasier deducted that the ship was effectively cornered alerting his officers to anticipate action by 4:30 p.m. and his estimate was remarkably accurate at 4:17 p.m. on December 26th 1943 HMS Duke of York's radar detected a Target 23 nautical miles away to the Northeast it was of course shanor with forces one and two closing in frasia realized the Germans would soon be within the firing range of Duke of York's formidable 14in guns precisely at the time that he had anticipated this positioning also allowed the British to cross the tea of the Germans a tactical Advantage where they could unleash their full broadside while the German ship would only be limited to its forward Weaponry this Bleak stretch of ocean was set to become a killing fill aboard Duke of York Gunners refined their aim ensuring the radar guided 14-in weapons stood ready to strike ahead of the battleship destroyers assumed positions ideal for a subsequent torpedo assault following closely behind the flag ship was the cruiser HMS Jamaica soon after radar aboard Duke of York detected Force One converging for The Intercept nearing 4:45 p.m. shanor surged Southward at full speed there were were coming closer and closer into range with no idea what was about to hit them and then it happened at around 4:47 p.m. from just over 6 nautical miles or 11 km away Duke of York launched star shells High into the sky caught off guard for the third and final time baay and shanor crew were suddenly exposed under the stark white light of the star shells Duke of York already had the German ship's range and speed calculated with perfect accuracy they got to their deadly work deafening Roar the 14-in guns spewed Hellfire and shells weighing as much as small cars smashed home shanor crew were just reeling under the shock of this sudden danger when the first shells landed bursting clean through steel and armor to detonate inside with horrifying results shanor forward main gun turret was hit and almost immediately incapacitated with most of its crew killed as Duke of York fired on the crews Jamaica got to work too the shell straddling the German ship and sending up great gouts of water shanor crew had been caught unprepared but now they finally responded at 4:53 p.m. the ship's two remaining main turrets fired furiously back their smaller 11-in shells surging through the air to straddle Duke of York it was a near Miss but the first Salvo damaged the British Flagship with splinters and knocked out the delicate search radar Duke of York answered this indignity with Salvo after Salvo of devastating fire this was exactly the kind of action shanor been designed to evade and now the ship had been caught out in a killing field surrounded by powerful enemies but things were only getting worse out of the darkness came Force One which had tailed the Germans since the earlier engagement HMS belf fast opened fire at 459 followed quickly by Norfolk but shanor answered back and her artillery proved accurate she engaged the two Cruisers from Force One with her smaller secondary battery the Germans ship's Maneuvers increased her distance from Force 2 effectively drawing her parallel to force one with only her half turret engaging Duke of York shanor faced attacks from two fronts Bay urgently radioed to group North they were being engaged by a heavy Battleship a somewhat understated scenario because in reality shanor was under assault from a battleship three Cruisers and several destroyers amidst The Fray two of Fraser's destroyers ventured so close to shanor that they retreated to evade Friendly Fire by 5:15 p.m. as the distance between shanor force one and Force 2 was growing Frasier commanded his four destroyers to to prepare for torpedo strikes but the increasing Gap paired with Shan horse's high speed hindered their approach and they couldn't get into an effective firing position for the moment the main combatants would remain the larger vessels the guns roared on and now obscured from view Duke of York relied on her radar guided Weaponry the Skirmish lasted for another 30 minutes while shanor widened the Gap by 5:45 p.m. with German ship outpacing its pursuers Jamaica ceased firing due to the range followed shortly by the Cruisers from Force One although Duke of York's radar had an effective range of about 15 nautical miles the absence of visual contact made accuracy challenging as shanor maneuvered to disrupt Duke of York's targeting both ships resorted to Blind firing in the deepening darkness by 6 p.m. with shanor significantly ahead and the radar on Duke of York no longer effective at that range both both battleships blindly engaged one another firing in the direction of the muzzle flashes that they could see Fraser realized that shanor was on the verge of getting away but fate had a different plan at about 6:20 p.m. Duke of York landed two nearly impossible hits on shanor while the initial shell which pierced the area just forward of the bridge killed several men but otherwise inflicted minimal damage the subsequent shell proved catastrophic this burst ruptured steam lines and compromised boilers reducing shanor speed from 28 to 22 knots immediately and then it continued to drop eventually the speed settled at 20 still far too slow to outrun the British the implications were clear to Bay if his ship speed wasn't restored the British would close in it took a while for Frasier and the Duke of York to figure out that his enemy was suffering problems it appeared to the British in that moment that they'd been unsuccessful in bringing the shanor to heal but but then soon after the functioning radar sets aboard Duke of York indicated the range to the German ship was actually decreasing the British were gaining and Frasier could clearly see it with his own eyes Shan horse's prize speed Advantage was gone and the British were now in with a chance as Duke of York and Jamaica started narrowing the Gap they remained Beyond visual range of the German battleship to the Northwest Bernett and Force One were also making ground Bernett detached his four destroyers ordering them into position to Ambush Shan horse with Torpedoes and at the same time frasia had ordered his four destroyers to move in as well and they would arrive first as they discreetly closed the Gap to within four miles shanor detected the threat an 11-in shell hit sers but didn't detonate instead it passed straight through the ship three torpedo connected with shanor starbard side it was a devastating blow the resulting flooding the German battleship and reduced her speed to just 10 knots she would now completely be at the mercy of the heavier British warships that was steaming straight for her the British destroyers pulled back and out of The Fray because now with the German ship virtually the job of finishing her off was left to Duke of York just after 700 p.m. having repaired her Fire Control radar the British Battleship turned to unmask her after turret Duke of York Unleashed a Relentless assault on shanor from just six nautical miles away or effectively Point Blank Range over the next 30 minutes Duke of York reigned a destruction on the German vessel launching salvos every 45 seconds to a minute many found their target at such close range it would be almost impossible to Miss Jamaica with her 6-in guns and Belfast having closed the Gap by 715 joined the bombardment AL although Duke of York's 14in shells largely couldn't breach Shan horse's armored belt they devastated her super structure inflicting heavy casualties shanor was being demolished from the top down as Duke of York Drew nearer shanor retaliated once she came into visual range however with her forward 11-in turret destroyed and her second 11-in turret firing only under local control she could only answer lamely the second turret was knocked out itself at 7:20 p.m. and now Shan horse could only rely on her AF final turret to answer the murderous British fire 10 minutes later those guns fell silent too after exhausting their ammunition Supply the defense was left of the small 150 mm secondary guns but with Fire Control destroyed and Cruiser and Battleship caliber shells raining down around them they were of little use the German commanders had known for some time that the game was up Captain Hiner once dreamt of commanding a heavy warship of shanor caliber now she was being shot out from underneath him his 7:20 p.m. message to group North resonated with desperation and Defiance we shall fight to the last shell Long Live Germany long live the [Music] Fur by this time shanor which was damaged burning en listing to starboard traced a slow Wide Circle the ship was a flaming wreck but a wreck that remained a float the British would not be content to let Shan H remain they were avenging hundreds of merchant ships sunk and their brothers had been aboard ships like glorious and Royal pindy lost to German guns in the brutal battle for the Atlantic Frasier observed the baguer shanor her super structure battered and her formidable guns rendered useless and he saw an opportunity to deliver the final blow just before 720 he instructed the cruiser to Jamaica to advance and launch a torpedo strike as Jamaica moved into position Duke of York held her fire providing the cruiser a clear path Belfast which had closed the range began a torpedo run of her own Fisher leading four destroyers from Force One also steered his flotilla towards the bleed Battleship to make his run after the Cruisers had made theirs it was a turkey shoot more like putting down a mortally wounded animal than anything else in a meticulously coordinated attack Jamaica neared shanor starboard side to a mere mile and a half distance and launched two Torpedoes shortly before 7:30 but almost immediately after Belfast Unleashed three more Torpedoes from a slightly greater distance but shanor despite her condition wasn't finished yet because remarkably hin managed to evade all five Torpedoes showcasing the battleships nimbleness and H's skill even in spite of his ship's badly compromised state but tragically the the onslaught was far from over as those Torpedoes sped past Shan H Commander fishes destroyers entered The Fray and just after 7:30 p.m. HMS opportune launched two Torpedoes from a mere mile away both of course finding their Mark in Shan H's flank the others followed suit releasing seven Torpedoes two of which struck the battleship within this brief but intense window shanor sustained four torpedo impacts on her starbard side soon soon after HMS musketeer Unleashed four more claiming two more hits on Shan horse's port side the end had at last come with his vessel burning and Flooding at 7:40 p.m. Captain Hiner relayed the somber order to Abandoned Ship but for many of Shan horse's crew escape was a fantasy the ship's Rapids sinking in the icy waters consumed many as shanor rolled onto her starboard side her propellers still turning she began her descent into the abyss but below decks countless Sailors found themselves inomed their Escape Routes cut off for the few who Brave the exterior the arctic's merciless embrace awaited them as hypothermia rapidly took hold swimming became a Herculean feat of its own with only the occasional life raft or a piece of Flom offering a fleeting hope of reprieve only a handful of her crew managed to flee the ship and evade the powerful suction the sank the once Mighty Battleship along with most of her crew vanished beneath the freezing churning waves and it was over shanor the lucky ship was [Music] [Music] gone [Music] [Music] [Music] oh [Music] the British destroyers scoured the scene for survivors and were met with a haunting spectacle an expanse of oil slicked Waters strewn with wreckage and lifeless bodies the only remnant of the once Majestic shanor was the 36 shivering survivors that they plucked from the chilling grip of the baren sea notably missing among them were con ad ad moral Bay and Captain Hiner given the frigid conditions survival Beyond 10 minutes was improbable Fraser's succinct message to the admiralty in London was clear shanor sunk the response was equally crisp Grand well done a classic example of British understatement no crew of a fighting warship are happy to see their sailor bre even their enemies subjected to the horrors of a sinking Frasier spoke with his officers later and said gentlemen the battle against shanor has ended in Victory for us I hope that if any of you are ever called upon to lead a ship into action against an opponent many times Superior you will command your ship as gallantly as Shan host was commanded today estimating the German casualties aboard Shan horse presents challenges a conservative count suggests at least 1,930 men perished while other estimates inch closer to 230 we'll never know the true toll the fall of shanor signaled a pivotal shift in the north with tpit sideline the Convoy routs saw the demise of their last formidable surface threats outmaneuvered by a superior adversary shanor fate was sealed not just by British tactical expertise but also by their Superior intelligence weaponry and notably Advanced radar the odds compounded by overwhelming British numbers rendered operation OST front's outcome nearly inevitable still Shan host's Valiant resistance echoed the resilient stand of the Bismark both ultimately outmatched by the Royal Navy's might Convoy JW 55b proceeded safely to the Soviet Union reaching its destination on December 29th the triumphant British vessels returned to a hero's welcome their achievements resonating globally Praises for Admiral frasia flowed in from luminaries such such as Churchill Roosevelt and Stalin it was a defining Victory but Germany was confronted with the Grim news of the lucky Shan h on the same day December 29th Grand Admiral donits who had fervently championed the mission blamed ba for the debacle it was easy because ba wasn't alive to defend himself the cards were stacked against him from the outset the might of the British forces left him outplayed specula remains rif about the outcome had the Duke of York not landed that fateful blind shot in the Arctic Darkness it had effectively sealed Shan horse's fate the world may never truly know but it's likely she would have escaped just like bis Mark before her the fate of shanor had come down to a lucky hit regardless shanor and the lives of a valiant crew had been simply thrown away on a mission that had been doomed from the start it was a sad end to what had once been the German Navy's lucky ship and today she rests on the floor of the baren sea a tomb for the hundreds of men who never made it [Music] [Music] [Applause] [Music] out

Channel: Oceanliner Designs

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Keywords: great ocean liners, maritime history, ocean liners, famous oceanliners, ships documentary, history of ships, engineering, history, ships, documentary, origins explained, world history project, animated history, open educational resources, titanic, shipwreck, sinking, boats, ocean, disaster, tragedy

Id: 5ZjZ5PNUC2Q

Length: 77min 47sec (4667 seconds)

Published: Sun Jan 21 2024